The CSL Comet Information Website

Primary and secondary information on comets and observing comets:

The Cometary Science Laboratory (CSL) and Archive -- called the Cometary Science
Center (CSC) when formed during 2008-2009 at the Smithsonian
Astrophysical Observatory and renamed the CSL when moved to Harvard
in 2010 -- is being developed as a central
archive and website for all things regarding comets. The goal is
to eventually have a separate webpage devoted to every comet observed
in history, with the project design being to work back from the
present into the past. Current team members designing, creating,
supporting, and advising the CSL/CSC include Daniel W. E. Green, Carl W.
Hergenrother, Brian G. Marsden, Zdenek Sekanina, Steve Larson, Karl Battams,
Syuichi Nakano, and Michael Rudenko. The CSL/CSC uses
computers generously supplied by the Tamkin Foundation.

Prototype CSL/CSC webpages have been created for the following
recent comets of significant interest. They are in rapid development, so check
back often to look for new features.

The CSL/A is soliciting images from observers for all of the comets
listed above and for all new comets as they are discovered. The
intention is to quickly get new webpages up here for each new comet
when the announcement of discovery is made.
Instructions for contributors of comet images
can
be found here..

Additional information on comets (and related phenomena):

This is a key place to begin looking for
useful and accurate information regarding news, observations, images,
orbital data, designations and names, and good links regarding comets and related
topics.
(Quick aids: Site
map 1/Site map 2)

Information on
the scourge of light pollution,
and what you can do to help make the sky a better place to view comets in!
Some pages were produced and made available here because of the prominence
of this problem to cometary observers.